20+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls - one ad.sum. seen carrying large food item into colony, one sub-ad also present but no juvs seen yet. Viewing not ideal from main road but i've not found a better spot around the factories as yet. 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls - non-breeders 8 Swifts 2 Swallows 2 Mistle Thrushes 2 Bullfinches - plus young along the railway line
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Friday 8th of July 2011 11:34:53 AM
If Lesser Black-backs (and maybe Herring Gulls?) are breeding in Greater Manchester - and I have no reason to doubt Barry (many thanks to him coming forward with this info) this is a pretty significant development. Probably more significant than our breeding Avocets - though I'm sure Barry and his work colleagues would prefer the latter.
Good on you Henry for raising this possibility in the first place.
Didn't realise there have been so many Barry. Thanks for shedding light on this phenomenon. I had a strong feeling they were doing more than just loafing this morning what with all the noise coming from the rooves plus commuting back and forth frequently between feeding sites (?) and nest site .
Whilst it's a shame they are making a mess they are seemingly the only colony in Greater Manchester so that's on the plus-side!
I might be able to throw some light on your subject. I work at WFEL Ltd which is known as Fairey's by most people. Opposite our car park we have been plagued by gulls for the last 3 years. Our car park is immediately on their flight path. The mess they make daily to the cars has to be seen to be believed. Last year I complained to the Stockport Council and they sent a man to investigate. He reported back that we could not do anything because they were NESTING on the other company's roof and would have to wait till they had finished nesting. Early this year we had someone fly a Harris Hawk over the area to try and shift them, it caused pandemonium but they only disappeared for 24 hours. Last Friday I counted about 200 gulls flying above our car park the most anyone had ever seen. It is a Health and Safety problem as on the other side of the factory is United Biscuits, Mcvities to all the locals. Even though I am a birdwatcher, they are a nuisance and if they get your car you have to wash it before you can drive home.
No nesting recorded in GM so far Henry though adults are regularly present in often large numbers through the summer months. I observed a colour ringed bird amongst a large flock (into the hundreds) on Chat Moss many summers ago and perhaps unsurprisingly it was a Ribble Estuary breeding bird.
Proven breeding would be excellent and the odd pair have certainly looked interested at other sites but that's been it so far. I wouldn't necessarily take the presence of adults on factory roofs this time of year as probable breeding though, not just yet anyway
20+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls - probably nesting on factory rooves adjacent to the park on the south side, breeding not confirmed though from road level. Any other colonies in GM? 2 Herring Gulls - also in the same suitable habitat 4 Swifts 2 Swallows 4 Mistle Thrushes + juvs 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Treecreeper 1 Coal Tit 4 Long-tailed Tits c80 Starlings - very few juvs so far
